Ask a casual music fan to name 10 songs by the Rolling Stones and there is a good chance there would be a struggle. "Brown Sugar, Shadoobee, Gonna Miss You, the one that goes, dun dun..DUN DUN DUN..." (This happened.) I dated a girl in the 80's and all means of communication were a struggle. She wasn't a talker. She didn't express an interest in much. No favorite actors or singers. She wasn't a theatre goer. She liked to go dancing. Out of desperation one night I asked, "Do you like The Beatles?" She said, "I love Paul McCartney." Thrilled that I had made some progress, I continued, "What are your favorite McCartney songs?" She deadpanned, "Spies Like Us." I laughed my cocktail right through my nose. But she wasn't kidding. She loved "Spies Like Us." True story.
I think about that story a lot because it really is hilarious. But, I also felt horrible for laughing. I would never do that now! ("Spies Like Us." Jeez.)
Ask a Stones fanatic to name 100 songs by the band, and I'd bet they would breeze right through. I'd also bet "Luxury," from "It's Only Rock N Roll" would not be mentioned until at least, I don't know, 119.
I love "Luxury."
Something about this tune reminds me of "Happy" from "Exile On Main Street." It's not quite as insistent, but the sheer bliss of the vibe is the same. Charlie's groove is unstoppable, maybe a bit too fast to be called reggae, but there's something happening that is not quite American or English. Keith's high harmonies, when he decides to sing, are infectious. This is a hook-filled gem and man, do I love it.
30 comments:
Nice! "dun dun DUN DUN DUN" is also one of my...sorry. I'd vote for "All Sold Out" on Between the Buttons. Great drum patterns, layers of instruments, lead, nice background vocals, everything.
"Spies Like Us"--that cracks me up. At least she knew Paul was in the Beatles and not just Wings. "Spies" was also Sir Paul's last Top Ten single. It's dumb fun, but that's about it.
I guess "Luxury" is one I've overlooked. On closer listen, it is pretty groovy.
Gotta agree with "Luxury" I love the congas. Are they played by Mick Taylor? My only complaint is that they are buried in the mix. But as a whole that song makes my list for Stones all time favorite songs. I also think the whole album, with a couple of exceptions was one of the Stones strongest albums
Seconded about "Luxury." I make sure that every fourth or fifth year it shows up on the beach day playlist for our Cape bike trip.
Always thought this song would sound good on Black & Blue. Randy
"My Favorite Songs That Most Don't Give A Shit About", most of mine fall under the category of Guilty Pleasures. A few non-radio Kiss songs, almost anything from Angel, Shine from Collective Soul. Though, I would have to put "Rock It (Prime Jive)" from Queen, The Game at the top. It's a great sing-along tune, with Roger Taylor's vocals (after the intro), but even when the album was knew, it never got much airplay. Though when you are on an album with "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", it's easy to get overlooked.
But, more importantly, is this a recurring problem; "I laughed my cocktail right through my nose"?
Hello all...no, please remain seated,
Want to know what I feel about Luxury? Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway. Love it. Boy, that is some loud, snotty, classic-Keith strumming, and I have long considered this to be one of the great deep-tracks in their catalog.
But, here's the thing, here's what I wonder about Luxury. Has anyone ever heard of any alternate takes on Luxury? Because I've always perceived...not a dis-connect, but an interesting contrast between Mick's faux-Jamaican vocals (anyone get the feeling that the then-22 year old Sting LOVED Luxury?) and Keith's "All Down the Line", open G tuning suspended chords. Did they ever try a straight reggae version of Luxury first?
As the old story goes, the Stones originally envisioned Start Me Up as a reggae song and, after many many takes, did a power-chord version as a sort of palette cleanser, before trying more unsuccessful reggae takes (somewhere at home I have about 5 version of the reggae SMU). Years later Chris Kimsey comes across the power-chord take and, voila! Tatoo You is a smash. Wonder if the Stones started Luxury with skanking guitar, and evolved it into...Luxury. Idle mind? Meet Devil's playground.
Regards,
RichD
I love Luxury but its mixed in a weird way.It sounded distant when i first heard it on cassette. This hand of fate and 100 years ago are constantly on my playlists.
"Hand of Fate"
"Crazy Mama"
"Winter" (LOVE Winter!)
"Luxury" is in my head all the time
"Memo From Turner" (I know it's Mick solo, really)
"Indian Girl"
"Wanna Hold You"
Damn...i love the Stones
I enjoy "I am Waiting" from Aftermath. The bridge doesn't fit the mood, the vocals are affected, but I still love the faux Elizabethan vibe. Somehow that sound of the Stones, just like Play With Fire, Lady Jane or Ruby Tuesday brings me right back to days when I was younger, maybe had a girl coming over, my band had a record deal, and I was making music all day, going out all night and sleeping for three hours. It reminds me of my best times. Even when it was fresh, I still found myself digging into the vibes and imagined living the way the Stones did.
Reminds me of when Tubbs would go undercover on Miami Vice as Generic Jamaican Guy, mon.
Just can't get past the silly accent, same with "send me Day-ed Flah-wers." As much as I love some of their stuff, I can't get with the overtly dopey shit. "Sympathy" gets switched off immediately - "ooh, look at me! I'm Satan. Awooooooooooo!" It's like Count Floyd fronting the Crypt Kicker Five.
"Who killed the Kennedys - after all it was you and me." What the fuck does that even mean? It's Jagger trying to be deep and portentous, but it's just dumb.
But other than that, yeah. What were we talking about?
@NoamSane
Try the other side of the bed tomorrow morning.
:)
Hi Sal, love this idea for a BW. There are two ways to go at it: a great song by an obscure band no one ever heard of, or a deep cut that gets lost in the shadow of a well-known band's more recognizable hits. I'll go the second way and give you two from Randy Newman: 1) Wedding in Cherokee County, a terrific, funny, and poignant song ("Maybe she's crazy I don't know, maybe that's why I love her so") on Good Old Boys that is overshadowed by Rednecks and Louisiana 1927; and 2) Christmas in Capetown on Trouble in Paradise, because when radio stations are looking for an off-kilter, misanthropic, and/or against-the-grain Christmas song during the holidays, the default is the Pogues' Fairytale of New York (also a great song), when Capetown is darker and more troubling, and never gets played! My two cents.
The only problem with a thread like this is that it's a guarantee *somebody else* will give a shit about the songs as well. "Most"? Maybe not.
I can think of about a dozen off the top of my head, but I always lead off with "Rock And Roll Music" by The Frost. It's dopey, *extremely* repetitive, simplistic and takes more than 1/2 the song to get to the verse and I love everything about it. Terrible song, really, when you think about it. But it's a fave!
Or maybe "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of the Week" by Mandy Moore. :-)
The other problem with this thread, like with most threads, is that it can veer off from the mission statement. I never want to lay down rules. BUT...
we can all name 100's of songs we care about that others don't care about or have even heard before. I used the word "favorite" in the title of the post because if someone asked me for my favorite Stones songs, Luxury would come out of my mouth immediately. It's one of my all time "favorite" Stones songs. I like "Short N Curlies" off IORR, too, and I'm sure no one cares about that either, but I am not sure I care that much, either.
"Luxury" is a great song, but I hold the whole album in high regard, right down to the great cover by Guy Paellert.
I guess I have to hear that album sometime - came out when I had no player of any sort, and I never listened to it! I'll get back to ya on that one...
I am one of those music fanatics you mentioned, and I'd wager I'm one of your older followers. I have come to appreciate your writing style, your wry wit and insight make for delightful reading. Your little dissertation on the Stones is right on. I wish "Classic Rock Radio" knew that the Stones had more than the dozen or so songs they air ad nauseum. Be that as it may, I'd nominate "Loving Cup" as an under-appreciated gem. What a beautiful buzz.
Keep up the good work.
Fair enough rules. Lets see if I can play along by thinking of bands with lots of albums that might work here...
On my list of favorite songs by XTC that would immediately come out of my mouth: "The Everyday Story of Smalltown". The Big Express is (usually) not on the list the top albums XTC fans because of it's production, but to me this was *the song* that made me feel I got what Swindon was all about for Andy Partridge when I heard the lyrics. There are actually better songs on TBE, but this is the one that is my favorite. Marching drum beat, synth horns, great lyrics, and it builds and builds. And I think a lot of XTC fans don't care for this song, either.
I think I figured out where you are coming from now...I hope.
First time hearing "Luxury" so far as I know.
The band is firing on all cylinders.
Classic Keith 5-string open G groove, and Charlie's killing it.
For me, the problem is it never changes gear, like it's stuck in 3rd.
It needs one more idea, musically.
And Mick's faux Jamaican accent doesn't help.
From The Stones catalog I nominate "2,000 Man" as one of my favorite Kinks songs.
"Luxury" rang a bell for me. I'm sure I heard it on WQDR, the AOR station in my area back when the album was released. Good tune. They may be "working so hard" but they sound like they are having fun. JB
That's a really good song, I prefer it to most of the others on that album. It sounds like they may have done it in just a few takes, and it's better for it.
Keith and Charlie on point but the vocals kill it for me. Not quite one I Don’t Give A Shit About, but one that would be included on exactly zero Stones playlists. Maybe a demo/rough version exists with out the vocals or at least the dweeby Jamaican thing?
(Why did I just flash on Kokomo by The Beach Boys?)
Not picking a fight, because lord knows I am no Stones apologist, but I am really surprised that this "accent" is the deal breaker. Is it just Jagger or does Ray Davies sabotage "Apeman" because of the "accent?" I find Jagger's over-enunciating, which he does on almost every song since 1978 far more irritating. People LOVE 'You Got Me Rocking." I'd much rather a faux Jamaican thing in a pseudo-reggae tune with a lot going for it than, "I wuh a bootcha, cuh in uh meet!" <---You Got Me Rocking.
Point(s) well taken. None of them alter my rather quick take on this one song. Stones canon sets the bar high, this one manages to limbo underneath, Mon. ��
Ha!
It's just Jagger. I'm okay with Ray on "Apeman".
I like "Claudine", worthwhile bonus track from "Some Girls".
http://alanwalkerart.com/audio/the_rolling_stones_claudine.mp3
"Flight 505" on Aftermath always makes me smile.
"Loving Cup" is a favorite
Let it Loose off of Exile
Coming Down Again off of Goats Head Soup
Worried About You - Tattoo You
My pick for 3 Stones songs that don't get much appreciation from fans or the band.
It's just a good song, period.
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